Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Parmenides', 'Three Dialogues of Hylas and Philonous' and 'Mahaprajnaparamitashastra'

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4 ideas

7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 3. Being / c. Becoming
229 The one was and is and will be and was becoming and is becoming and will become [Plato]
     Full Idea: The one was and is and will be and was becoming and is becoming and will become.
     From: Plato (Parmenides [c.364 BCE], 155d)
7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 3. Being / f. Primary being
21821 Plato's Parmenides has a three-part theory, of Primal One, a One-Many, and a One-and-Many [Plato, by Plotinus]
     Full Idea: The Platonic Parmenides is more exact [than Parmenides himself]; the distinction is made between the Primal One, a strictly pure Unity, and a secondary One which is a One-Many, and a third which is a One-and-Many.
     From: report of Plato (Parmenides [c.364 BCE]) by Plotinus - The Enneads 5.1.08
     A reaction: Plotinus approves of this three-part theory. Parmenides has the problem that the highest Being contains no movement. By placing the One outside Being you can give it powers which an existent thing cannot have. Cf the concept of God.
7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 5. Reason for Existence
3942 I do not believe in the existence of anything, if I see no reason to believe it [Berkeley]
     Full Idea: It is to me a sufficient reason not to believe the existence of anything, if I see no reason for believing it.
     From: George Berkeley (Three Dialogues of Hylas and Philonous [1713], II p.205)
     A reaction: This may just be a reasonable application of Ockham's Razor, but I fear that Berkeley painted himself into corner by demanding too many 'reasons' for everything.
7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 6. Criterion for Existence
3952 I know that nothing inconsistent can exist [Berkeley]
     Full Idea: I know that nothing inconsistent can exist.
     From: George Berkeley (Three Dialogues of Hylas and Philonous [1713], III p.224)
     A reaction: Fine, but the problem is to assess with confidence what is inconsistent. Human imagination seems to be the test for existence. But what else can we do?